On the beat: entertainment/multicultural

The start of 2008 didn't look promising for the entertainment industry, as the held-over Writers Strike affected production until its end in mid-February. As things settled down, it was interesting to watch the Internet, the main point of contention during the strike, continue to impact entertainment properties.

On The BeatThe start of 2008 didn't look promising for the entertainment industry, as the held-over Writers Strike affected production until its end in mid-February. As things settled down, it was interesting to watch the Internet, the main point of contention during the strike, continue to impact entertainment properties.

Fans flocked to sites like Hulu.com and got caught up in summertime webisodes from shows like The Office and Heroes.

But the Internet clearly isn't just impacting entertainment; it affects all communications areas. In the multicultural space, PR pros are looking online, specifically to attract a younger generation, which is increasingly diverse.

The LGBT community also saw a busy 2008, especially with the California Supreme Court overruling a ban on same-sex marriage in May. But that ruling didn't last long, as the passing of Proposition 8 during the 2008 election eliminated the right of same-sex couples to marry. Communications played a big part on both sides of the issue and will continue to in 2009.

As 2008 ends, the LGBT community is still rallying in support of same-sex marriage; multi-cultural consumers are a hot PR topic; and the Screen Actors Guild is preparing a strike vote after contract talks fell through.

No one knows which way things will fall in 2009. The one certainty is that the Internet will still be playing a major role.